U.S.-the Philippines Cooperative Research: Population Biology, Ecology, and Behavior of Small Cetaceans in the Sulu Sea, the Philippines

这是由美国加州大学圣地亚哥分校的Gerald Kooyman博士和菲律宾西利曼大学的Moonyeen Nida Ramos Alava女士提出的为期两年的合作研究项目。本提案旨在对菲律宾鲸类动物（包括海豚）的种群生物学、生态学和行为进行研究。该项目要求资金支持P.I.和一名博士生在菲律宾苏禄海进行一项研究，以估计海洋哺乳动物的丰度，并了解丰度与栖息地类型之间的关系。他们还将研究鲸类动物的摄食习惯、行为和社会结构。Kooyman博士是这一领域的专家，在研究和出版方面有着杰出的记录。他的博士生杜拉（Louella Dolar）女士对苏禄海生态系统有着深入的了解。这是海洋生物学的一个重要领域。关于苏禄海的鲸类物种的资料很少或根本没有。该项目将对我们对该物种的认识做出相对较大的贡献，并可以为该物种的保护提供有用的数据。此外，该项目由国际科学基金会、菲律宾环境和自然资源部以及美国国家海洋渔业局提供资金。美国国家科学基金会（National Science Foundation）相对适度的支持可以产生巨大的潜在效益。

This is a two year cooperative research project proposed by Dr. Gerald Kooyman, University of California at San Diego, and Ms. Moonyeen Nida Ramos Alava, Silliman University, the Philippines. This proposal is to conduct a study of population biology, ecology, and behavior of cetaceans (including dolphins) in the Philippines. The project requests funds to support the P.I. and a Ph.D. student to carry out a study in the Sulu Sea, the Philippines, to estimate the abundance of marine mammals and to understand the relationship between abundance and habitat types. They will also study feeding habits, and the behavior and social structure of cetacean species. Dr. Kooyman is a specialist in this area and has an outstanding record of research and publication. His Ph.D. student, Ms. Louella Dolar, has an in-depth understanding of the Sulu Sea ecosystem. This is an important area of marine biology. There is little or no available information on the cetacean species in Sulu Sea. This project will make a relatively large contribution to our state of knowledge on this species and can provide useful data on the conservation of this species. Furthermore, this project is leveraged dollar- for-dollar with funds from International Foundation for Science, Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines, and U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. The relatively modest support from the National Science Foundation can yield large potential benefits.